On Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, at approximately 11:40 am, a Lee County Sheriffs School Resource Deputy met with the parent of a student at Smiths Station High School at the request of the principal. The parent reported that a teacher had possibly engaged in an inappropriate electronic communication with their 17-year-old child. A report was completed and after a review of the circumstances involved it was determined that the alleged conduct did not meet the elements required to support a criminal charge. The matter was then referred to the school administration to be handled internally.

The reasons the alleged conduct did not meet the elements required to support a criminal charge are based on the student's age.

Sheriff Jay Jones explains Myrick will not be charged because the student involved is 17, not because investigators don't believe the alleged inappropriate text messaging took place.

"In Alabama, the cut-off for a lot of offenses involving children is 16 and in this particular case the student involved was aged 17," explained Sheriff Jones.

The Lee County School Board is still investigating the incident. Meanwhile, we asked Sheriff Jones if Alabama laws should be altered to include children under the age of 18.

"That is something to be considered by the Alabama Legislature," Sheriff Jones said. "I don't think it would be a bad idea to look at existing law and make sure all children under the age of 18 are protected, especially in a school setting,"

We reached out to Myrick via the email address listed on the SSHS website, and have not heard back from him.